


San Junipero: The Beginning

by firecrackerroot



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-01
Updated: 2016-11-01
Packaged: 2018-08-28 08:14:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8438134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firecrackerroot/pseuds/firecrackerroot
Summary: “Welcome to the infinite, sweetie.”





	

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: First things first, Root is alive. Secondly, welcome. This headcanon came to me as an epiphany the second I finished watching San Junipero. If you haven't watched it yet, please stop reading this, go watch and then come back. If you have already watched it then, my dearest friends, let's dive in.

**’40s**

 

“Root. I have a new mission for you.”  


 

Raising an eyebrow with intrigue, Root put down the cellphone she was trying to fix. “I’m all ears.”  


 

“I must advise you that this particular mission will not be easy."

  
  
“When you gave me this job, you said it wouldn’t be easy,” Root replied, the memories of her time working with the team leaving a bittersweet taste in her mouth. “And it never was , so whatever it is that you’re assigning me next, I’m ready.”

 

“On numerous occasions, we have discussed the possibility of trans cendence and existence. After careful examination of the world’s technology and its exponential growth, I’ve come to the conclusion that we must stop theorizing and begin to act.”

 

“That means….” Root was 99% sure what this was about but she still waited for an actual answer. The printer started whirring, and she picked up a sheet of paper with a list of names on it.

 

“Your mission begins with recruiting each and every individual on that list. It is crucial that all of them are part of your team.”

 

“Sounds really easy to me.” Root scrunched her face. “What’s the catch?”

 

“Once you recruit your team, you are expected to meet Caleb and begin the afterlife database program.”

 

“I- I don’t…” Root stammered, overwhelmed with what she had been asked to do.

 

“If there is one person that can do this, it’s you, Root.”

 

“When you put it that way…” Root stood up and stashed the list in her jacket pocket. “What about Shaw?”

 

“In case of necessity, she will be assigned to help you. If not, I have other missions for her here.”

 

“Alright. Let’s do this.”

* * *

 

**’45s**

 

“Are you ready?” Root asked as she placed the transmitter prototype above Shaw’s right temple.

  
  
“Sure.” Shaw shrugged, getting comfortable in her chair. “You sure this bitch won’t try to fry my head again?”

  
  
Root chuckled. “I’m sure you’d love that.”

  
“Whatever. Plug us in.”

  
Shaw opened her eyes to San Junipero’s empty, sunlit beach. It was so bright that she had to shield her eyes.

  
  
“Hey, sweetie , ” Root called from behind her, wearing a loose shirt and worn out jean shorts.

  
  
“You need to cut the brightness a little. I don’t wanna go blind after dying,” Shaw complained, still shielding her eyes, but when she turned to the side, Root had a pair of sunglasses on.

  
“You know you can just get sunglasses, right?” Root smiled and handed Shaw a pair of aviators.

  
  
“Yes, yes, very funny.” Shaw rolled her eyes. “Seriously, Root. Less light.”

  
  
“Noted.” Root laced her arm through Shaw’s. “Walk with me?”

  
  
“Can’t we get a car?”

  
  
“Not yet,” Root said as the two women started walking by the water. “There’s been a bit of a hiccup on the car development.”

  
  
“Why didn’t you told me?” Shaw raised an eyebrow. “And what’s the hiccup?”

  
  
“You had other things to worry about and besides, Michael is already taking care of it.” Root looked at Shaw, who returned her look with an inquiring one. “Do you really want to know? It’s computer stuff, sweetie, the kind you said that bores you to sleep.”

  
  
“I say that when it’s Michael or any other of your lab nerds telling me about it.”

  
  
“So, you’re saying that if I’m the one talking to you about it, it actually interests you?” Root teased, already knowing the answer.

  
  
Shaw scrunched her face. They had been together for years and Root still liked to tease her about certain things so she played along. Not for Root’s sake but because she enjoyed the teasing as well. “Fine, don’t tell me.”

  
  
“It was a bug on the brakes. The pedals were there but they wouldn’t work, so all the tests ended up in a car crash.” Root stopped walking and sat on the sand, patting the ground beside her for Shaw to follow suit. “So I decided to check the main code and someone forgot to code in the break functions.”

  
  
“You’re working with a bunch of idiots, Root,” Shaw said as she sat beside Root, admiring the detail in the sky and the ocean and even the sand. She was amazed at how everything felt so  _ real _ .

  
  
“I know,” Root chuckled. “So, do you wanna go back? Don’t you have a criminal to catch?” Root inched closer to Shaw’s ear, whispering , “Places to be? People to kill?”

  
  
“You have 20 minutes , ” Shaw complied with a grin.

  
  
“That’s all I need.”   


* * *

 

 

**’55s**

 

“You promised me you wouldn’t assign her dangerous missions until the system was ready , ” Root raged through her clenched teeth. “You promised me!”

 

“My sincere apologies, Root. I failed you.”

 

“No, no. You don’t get to apologize to me.” Root’s voice began to break as tears misted her eyes. “You apologize to her. You failed her.”

 

“I was blindsided. You must understand.”

 

“She was too! And yet, you’re still up and running while Shaw is…” Root gripped the footboard of Shaw’s hospital bed. The beeping of the life-support machine was the only sound filling the room and although it was a stable beep, Root couldn’t stop crying. “Three days. And nothing. And I don’t know if she’s ever going to wake up again.”

 

A knock on the door echoed through the room and Root quickly wiped the tears from her eyes.

 

“I took the liberty of asking one of your employers to bring you the wifi device.”

 

Root chuckled and shook her head in disbelief. “You had to audacity to do that?”

 

“I understand Sameen’s condition and how immoral this action might be but I am aware that you, as well as your team, wanted to try the system on different settings. This might be one of them.”

 

“And the worst part is that you’re right,” Root whispered to herself as she tried to swallow the lump in her throat.

 

She opened the door and got the two transmitters, setting them both for one hour. After she placed one above Shaw’s temple, Root dragged a chair to the side of Shaw’s bed and sat down on it. She placed the second transmitter on herself and held Shaw’s hand before plugging them in.

 

Root arrived in San Junipero inside the house she had carefully crafted for herself and Shaw. She didn’t have to look around to find the other woman, lounging on a reclining chair on the back porch, watching the sunset.

 

“Took you long enough,” Shaw said as soon as she felt Root’s presence.

 

“I, uh… I’m sorry.” Root couldn’t seem to find the right words. 

 

Shaw, feeling Root’s hesitation, pulled her arm to make Root sit on her lap. “I can hear you, you know?”

“I was kind of hoping you couldn’t.” Root teared up a little as she rested her head on Shaw’s shoulder.

 

“I know.” Shaw held Root and let herself be held as well. “How long do we have?”

 

“One hour. I didn’t know if it was going to work with you being in a coma and…” Root sighed.

 

“Turns out it works. And I gotta say, it’s good to be back in my 30s,” Shaw half-joked,  managing to get Root to finally smile again.

 

“I figured you’d like that.” Root lifted herself up enough to softly press her lips on top of Shaw’s. “Although, you don’t look bad for a 55-year-old.”

 

“Please, I’ll look good till the day I die.”

 

“I’m sure you will.”

* * *

 

 

**’65s**

 

“No.”

 

“But why?” Shaw asked.

 

“Because I said no , ” Root said, with a stern tone but an amused smile on her face. “If I can’t have a motorcycle, you can’t have a boat.”

 

“Oh c’mon.” Shaw shook her head.

 

“Fair is fair, sweetie.” Root tapped Shaw’s leg before going back to coding. “Give me the motorcycle, I’ll get you the boat, it’s simple.”

 

Shaw crossed her arms over her chest. “Sure it is. I only asked for the steakhouse. Why do you have to make this so hard?”

 

“You what?” Root chuckled and turned to face Shaw. “The steakhouse, the never-ending drinks supply, oh and did I mention the jacuzzi?”

 

“All essential to my life. How’s that asking for much?” Shaw tilted her head.

 

“And I only want the motorcycle.”

 

“Fine. Get the motorcycle.” Shaw rolled her eyes.

 

Root chuckled. “That was easy.”

 

“Am I still in time to revoke your motorcycle privileges?” Shaw asked even though she was sure she couldn’t.

 

“Too late.” Root winked and pushed a tendril of Shaw’s hair beside her ear. “But you’re not too late to take me out for lunch.”

 

“Come on, nerd.”

* * *

 

 

**’75s**

 

Root and Shaw lay side by side in a bed that wasn’t theirs but that would be their last. They held hands and gazed at each other for what felt like an eternity. The day they had been speaking of since the Machine had assigned Root the San Junipero mission had finally arrived. It was time to pass over. Pass on. Transcend.

 

“Are you ready?” Root asked, breathless from her bouts of pneumonia.

 

Shaw gripped Root’s hand, took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “See you on the other side, nerd.”

 

“Enjoy San Junipero, my dearest friends,” the Machine’s voice echoed through the room. “Thank you for everything.”

 

The colleagues Root had assigned to help with their passing began the process and both women took their final breath on earth. Together.

 

**San Junipero**

 

“If this is the afterlife, it sucks,” Shaw said as she opened her eyes to find herself lying in her new bed. Root jabbed the other woman in the ribs. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding.”

 

Root laughed and turned to face Shaw. “You look as good as the day I met you.”

 

“Before I say that you do too, I have to search you in case you have a taser…” Shaw pulled Root closer. “Or an iron, maybe.”

 

“Boy, did we have fun…” Root chuckled as she began to trace circles on Shaw’s back.

 

“I’m sure we’ll find ways to have fun here too.” Shaw smirked. “After all, we’ll be here forever.”

  
“Welcome to the infinite, sweetie.”

**Author's Note:**

> PS: Major thanks to Ariyah for helping me get this baby in shape!


End file.
